Amusement device



Jan. 6, 1942. w J, DERWQ 2,268,646

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Feb. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Invenfor M5522 Ern c0,

Jan. 6, 1942. .1. DERRICO AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Feb.

18, .1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 6, 1942 UNITED STATES'PATENTOFFICE AMUSEMENT DEVICE 7 John DErrico, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application February 18, 1941, Serial No. 379,451

Claims.

This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly todevices of the type known as roundabouts, though it is noted that insome of the broader claims the invention is not limited to devices ofthe rotating type nor even .to amusement devices.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved device orapparatus of this kind which gives unexpected and surprising irregularmovements to passenger, cars on a movable or rotary platform, themovements being of a type to give pleasure and amusement withoutdisagreeable efiects.

Other objects of the invention are to provide in a device of this kind asimple, effective and inexpensive transmission system.

Additional objects of the invention are to effect simplicity andefficiency in such an apparatus and to provide an extremely simpledevice or apparatus of this kind which is economical, durable,convenient, effectively amusing, pleasant and reliable in operation, andeconomical to manufacture and install.

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described in thespecification and some of the claims, the invention as described in thebroader claims is not limited to these, and many and various changes maybe made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed inthe broader claims.

The inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objectsare shown herein in connection with a roundabout which comprises a fixedslightly inclined platform provided with a large circular opening and'asuitably driven rotary circular platform within the opening and adjacentto the fixed platform. Cars are pivotally connected at their forwardends to points around the periphery of the rotary platform while theirrear ends are supported by castors which engage either platform. 'Onrotation of the rotary platform, the effects of the platform inclinationand the centrifugal and frictional forces cause a variety of pleasantand amusing movements to the cars.

In the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, one of manypossible embodiments of the invention;

Fig. 1 is a vertical plane sectional view of the roundabout;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental plan showing the driving mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental transverse vertical sectional view, partly inelevation, the section being taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig.4, looking in the direction of the arrows of said line; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmental vertical sectional view showing means forreceiving the drive cable.

My improved amusement device includes a large fixed ring-shaped platformIt] and a framework supporting the platform at an angle slightlyinclined to the horizontal. A central column l2 surrounded by theplatform and mounted at the center of the circumferences of the platformcomprises a fixed main shaft l4 coaxial with the platform and providedWith side braces l5, and a hub l6 mounted on the upper end part of theshaft and provided with suitable ball or other bearings for supportingthe hub for easy rotation on the shaft.

The circular rotary platform I8 comprises sweeps l9 mounted on andradiating from the upper part of the hub and carrying a circular I fioorclosely adjacent to and flush with the ring shaped platform. A disc ismounted on the lower part of said hub from which guy wires 2| extend tothe under face of the rotary platform l8. An annular track 22 of theI-beam shape is mounted on the lower face of the peripheral portionof'the rotary platform IS with its central web perpendicular to therotary platform, the lower head of the track providing a lower trackface 24. Friction blocks 25 (Fig. 6) may be mounted around the exteriorchannel of the I- beam and provided with cable receiving grooves 26later to be mentioned. A plurality of supporting wheels 28 are arrangedaround the inner periphery of the fixed platform under said track inengagement with said track face and supported by'brackets 29 in whichsaid wheels 28 are journaled, the brackets being mounted on the framework I], thus to support the periphery of the rotary platform.

A motor 30 carrying a grooved drive pulley 3| is mounted in said framework ll under the highest part of the fixed platform III with itsidlerpulleys 32 are mounted in said framework in the plane of the drivepulley 3| on both sides of the vertical plane of the motor shaft, whileadditional pulleys 34 mounted in the framework lie in the plane of theannular cable receiving Fig, 4 is a, fragmental transverse verticalsecgroove 25 between the respective idlers and said groove. An endlesscable 35 is disposed in the grooves of the pulleys and around the grooveof the track engaging the grooves 26, whereby the motor may rotate therotary platform.

A plurality of bearing posts 36 fixed around the peripheral portion ofthe rotary platform perpendicular thereto are each provided with arotary hub 38 thereon. One, two or more passenger cars 39, preferablytwo-passenger cars, are associated with each hub, the car having theforward end secured fast to said hub 38 and to each other, the carshaving castors 40 supporting the rear ends of the cars equidistant fromthe hub 38, whereby the car may revolve around the hub 38 with thecastors at times on the stationary platform and at times on the rotaryplatform. Arcuate truck plates M which may be secured flush with thefloor of the rotary platform provide a path for the castors.

Customers may enter and leave the platform I by means of parallelentrance and exit ramps 42, 44, Fig. 2, leading from the ground to saidfixed platform at separated points on opposite sides of the lowest partthereof.

The rotary platform may rotate in either direction, but is here shown asrotary in the direction of the large arrow of Fig. 2. The speed ofrotation of the rotary platform, the angle of inclination of theplatforms and the friction of the castors on the platforms are such,that during rotation, gravity, centrifugal force and friction will giveresultant forces that will give the customer a variety of unexpected andpleasurable motions and cause them to rotate, for example, as shown bythe small arrows of Fig. 2;

While a two-car assembly at each post 36 is preferred, one of the carsmay be omitted or more than two cars may be employed in the assembly asindicated by lines 39' in Fig. 2.

Occupants may walk up the ramps and take seats in the cars by walkingaround or across the rotary platform while it is at rest. Or the rotaryplatform may be successively stopped with the pro-per cars near theramps so that the customers will take such seats as will enable thedesired distribution of the load. The motor may be controlled by aswitch located at any convenient or desired point.

While any desirable operating speeds and dimensions may be used, a speedof about 12 R. P. M. is desirable for a fifteen foot diametered rotaryplatform. The speed may be varied during operation so as to add to thevariety of oscillatory car movements.

Adjacent cars of the three-car assembly including the car 39' are all120 degrees apart making the assembly symmetrical to the pivot.

However, in the two-car assembly of thecars 39, the two angles betweenthe cars relative to the pivot are 120 and 240 degrees respectivelyleaving the assembly asymmetrical to the pivot. In like manner, aone-car assembly would be asymmetrical to the pivot. In the case of .thetwocar assembly and the one-car assembly the center of gravity of theassembly is quite a distance from the axis of the pivot, leaving thegroup as a whole unbalanced, or eccentric to the pivot; whereby theaction of the direction-changing centrifugal force acting attheeccentric center of gravity of the two-car assembly, combined withthe changing friction and the relatively changing constant gravitycomponent causes the assembly to rotate all the time and give fourunexpected reversals of rotation of the assembly in one rotation of theplatform which is a surprising and desired result in an amusement deviceof this kind. In practice, the action of the three-car assembly is alsosurprising, even when all three cars of the assembly are filled, as theoccupants never weigh the same, and the center of gravity of theassembly with its passengers is practically always eccentric to the axisof the pivot.

The lateral gravity component acting upon the cars is determined by theinclination of the platform and is parallel to the platform as shown bythe arrow of Fig. 1. Although the centrifugal force caused by therotation of the platform is always directed outwardly from the center ofrotation of the platform and never changes relative tothe platform, yetin relation to its surroundings, it changes with the rotation of theplatform. There is also some centrifugal force caused by the revolutionof the car around the post 36. The car movements are also affected bythe friction of the castor on the parts over which it rolls. Thus thereis a force acting on thecars which the changing resultant ofthe combinedeffect of thecentrifugal, gravitational and frictional forces. While themovements of the carsare often surprising,-in the device as illustratedwith the platform fifteenfeet in diameter, the motor should be run at aspeed to cause the platform to rotate about 12 R. P. M. to cause the carassemblies to reverse four times as illustrated bythe arrows of Fig. 2.

Having thus. described the invention what is claimed-is:.

1. An amusement device comprising a pairof inclined platforms havingadjacent flush curved edges; means for moving one lplatformzto'scauserelative movement :at and along saidledges; a pivot means mounted on themarginal portion of the movable platform; a car pivotedeccentrically tothe pivot means; and supporting means under a portion of the carremotefrom thepivot means and movably frictionally engageable with theplatforms for supporting the carwhen it revolves around the pivot means,whereby change of direction of the resultant of the centrifugal force,caused by the:movement of the movable platform, and the frictionalforcesjof the supporting means, relative to the angle of the lateralgravity component on the car; determined by the inclination oftheplatforms, willcooperate with said component to give a variety ofmovements to said cars. I

2. An amusement device comprising a large fixed inclined platform havinga circular opening therein;-'a circular rotary platform in said openingadjacent to and flush with the platform androtary-coaxial with saidopening; means to rotate said, rotaryplatform; a pivot-'means mounted onthe peripheral portion of the rotary platform; a passenger carasymmetrically pivoted to the pivot means; and supporting means underthe portion 'of the car remote from the pivot means and movablyfrictionally engageable with the platforms at, all times supporting thecar for free pivotal revolution around the pivot means, whereby changeof direction of the resultant of the centrifugal force caused by thespeed of rotation of the rotary platform, and the frictional forces ofthe supporting means, relative to the angle of the gravity componentdetermined -by the inclination of the platforms, cooperate with saidcomponent to of movements to said cars. H

3. An amusement device comprising a large fixed inclined platform havinga circular opening-therein;- a circular rotary platform in said giveavariety opening adjacent to and flush with the platform and coaxial withsaid opening; a pivot means mounted on the peripheral portion of therotary platforms; a passenger car eccentrically pivoted to the pivotmeans; supporting means under the portion of th car most remote from thepivot means and movably frictionally engageable with the platforms forsupporting the car when it revolves around the pivot means, wherebychange of direction of the resultant of the centrifugal force, caused bythe rotation of the rotary platform, and the frictional forces of thesupporting means, relative to the angle of inclination of the platforms,will give a variety of movements to said cars; and means to rotate saidrotary platform at such a speed relative to the angle of the platformand friction of the supporting means that the car will revolve aroundthe pivot means and will reverse its direction of revolution atintervals.

4. An amusement device comprising a large fixed inclined platform havinga circular opening therein; a circular rotary platform in said openingadjacent to and flush with the fixed platform and coaxial with saidopening; means to rotate said rotary platform; a plurality of pivotmeans mounted around the peripheral portion of the rotary platform; anassembly of passenger cars, fast to each other, asymmetrically pivotedto each pivot means with the center of gravity of the assembly eccentricto the pivot means; and supporting means under the portions of the carsmost remote from the pivot means, and movably frictionally engageablewith the platforms for supporting the cars, whenthey revolve around thepivot means, whereby change of direction of the resultant of thecentrifugal force, caused by the speed of rotation of the rotaryplatform, and the frictional forces of the supporting means, relative tothe angle of inclination of the platforms, will give a variety ofmovements to said cars.

5. An amusement device comprising a large fixed inclined platform havinga circular opening therein; a circular rotary platform in said openingadjacent to and flush with the fixed platform and coaxial with saidopening; a plurality of pivot means mounted around the peripheralportion of the rotary platform; an assembly of passenger cars, fast toeach other, pivoted to each pivot means; and supporting means under theportions of the cars most remote from the pivot means and movablyfrictionally engageable with the platforms for supporting the cars whenthey revolve around the pivot means, whereby change of direction of thecentrifugal force, caused by the speed of rotation of the rotaryplatform, and the frictional forces of the supporting means, relative tothe angle of inclination of the platforms, will give a variety ofmovements to said cars.

JOHN DERRICO.

